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Subject: Skunk Works Digest V4 #110
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Skunk Works Digest Friday, 7 January 1994 Volume 04 : Number 110
In this issue:
NASA PR Release on F-104 with Periscope
Re: booms, F-117
Re: booms, F-117
Re: booms, F-117
Groom Lake Field Trip, Jan. 15
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From: "JOHN R. LEWIS, PH.D."
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 1994 09:45:54 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: NASA PR Release on F-104 with Periscope
Newsgroups: sci.space.news
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From: sdd@larc.nasa.gov (Steve Derry)
Subject: HQ 94-2/REVD
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Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA USA
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Drucella Andersen
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
January 5, 1994
(Phone: 202/358-4701)
Don Nolan
Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.
(Phone: 805/258-3447)
RELEASE: 94-2
NASA DEVELOPS ENHANCED RUNWAY VIEWS FOR SUPERSONIC PILOTS
NASA is testing a new optical system that would let pilots
see the runway during nose-high landings without relying on
complex mechanical structures or computer-generated views.
The Research External Vision Display (REVD) is a system of
lenses and mirrors that reflects the view of the runway under
the nose of the aircraft to a pilot in the cockpit. It does
not need electronics or video cameras and has no moving parts.
NASA started flight tests of the device on Dec. 23, 1993, using
a modified F-104 aircraft at Ames-Dryden Flight Research
Facility, Edwards, Calif.
"Pilots of supersonic aircraft usually land at a high
angle-of-attack to maintain the descent rate at low speeds.
This may block runway visibility at a crucial time during
landing," said NASA project pilot Steve Ishmael. "The REVD
system, which is basically an upside-down periscope, could be
an effective solution."
The project will collect data to see how suitable such a
system is to land an aircraft. Up to 20 flights are planned in
the current test schedule. The program is slated to conclude
by the end of January.
An REVD-like system could help pilots of a future U.S.
supersonic airliner see the runway during the landing approach.
The concepts for such a plane have a long, pointed nose that
rules out forward-looking windows.
The European Concorde and Russian Tu-144 supersonic
transports attack the problem by dropping the entire nose in
front of the windshield. This approach works, but the
mechanism that moves the nose is heavy, complex and expensive.
Another option is to equip a supersonic aircraft with
video cameras or have an onboard computer create a "synthetic"
view of the runway based on input from different types of
sensors.
But the electronic components in cameras and computers are
not as durable as a simple mirror system, and video cameras
have only one-hundredth the resolution of the human eye.
Future hypersonic aircraft, which would fly at more than
five times the speed of sound, are expected to have similar
problems with forward visibility. Even heat-resistant glass,
if developed, could be damaged by impacts of raindrops or dust
particles.
Installation of the device on the two-seat NASA F-104
requires a fairing extending from the fuselage just below the
cockpit. The fairing houses the lower part of the REVD system,
which looks out from beneath the aircraft and reflects the view
up to the pilot in the rear cockpit.
Future designs may eliminate the fairing, which protrudes
into the airstream. This could be done by recessing the REVD
into the fuselage or by designing a retractable device that
would drop down during landings.
The NASA-Dryden Project Manager is Roy Bryant. The
project is a joint effort of Dryden; NASA's Ames Research
Center, Mountain View, Calif.; the National Aero-Space Plane
Joint Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio;
Lockheed Forth Worth Company, Texas; Kaiser Optical
Electronics, Carlsbad, Calif.; and Systems Technologies Inc.,
Mountain View, Calif.
-end-
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos and video to accompany this release are
available to media representatives by calling the Dryden Public
Affairs Office, 805/258-3447.
------------------------------
From: PHARABOD@frcpn11.in2p3.fr
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 94 15:52:41 MET
Subject: Re: booms, F-117
>The flight before last, the SR-71 boomed an array of seismic stations
>here in SoCal. We're helping the calibrate their sensors. This is part
>of the same sensor network that told us about the northbound Mach 5
>overflights of the L A basin.
>Mary Shafer (Wed, 5 Jan 1994 16:59:47 -0500 (EST))
Is it possible to know:
- - why this experiment has been made ?
- - who decided that it should be made ?
J. Pharabod
------------------------------
From: Mary Shafer
Date: Thu, 6 Jan 1994 10:51:02 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: booms, F-117
Certainly. The experiment was performed because it was considered by
project and facility management to be an appropriate use of the resources.
It was also considered to be cost-effective.
If you're asking how you can get an SR-71 to do something for you, the
easiest way is to send money. Lots of money. The next best is to come up
with something that has a good purpose and a low cost. Don't ask for mods
to the aircraft unless you're prepared to a) fund them and b) take
responsibility for their flightworthiness.
Mary Shafer DoD #0362 KotFR shafer@ursa-major.spdcc.com
On Thu, 6 Jan 1994 PHARABOD@frcpn11.in2p3.fr wrote:
> >The flight before last, the SR-71 boomed an array of seismic stations
> >here in SoCal. We're helping the calibrate their sensors. This is part
> >of the same sensor network that told us about the northbound Mach 5
> >overflights of the L A basin.
> >Mary Shafer (Wed, 5 Jan 1994 16:59:47 -0500 (EST))
>
> Is it possible to know:
> - why this experiment has been made ?
> - who decided that it should be made ?
>
> J. Pharabod
------------------------------
From: John Erling Blad
Date: Thu, 6 Jan 1994 18:56:54 +0100
Subject: Re: booms, F-117
Hi!
> Three sensors in a small (10s of meters)
>array would do the trick. It wouldn't work well if the flight path was
>too close to the array, ..
>...Russ
Can you please explain this, because if Im not in error (I usually are) I
think you will estimate the speed and direction of the traveling wave.
A possible solution is to place arrays on each side of a possible flightpath,
and do some assumptions about the actual fligthprofile. It should be
possible to use arrays of to sensors because the duality can be solved by
assumptions.
Possible el cheapo solutions: Use three stereophonic taperecorders with two
microphones each, and locate each array several tens of miles from each
other. If you and youre frends are accurate when you starts the
taperecorders, and the taperecorders are accurate ( this is no problem if
the recorders have syncronmotors ), then you can collect the tapes and
analyse them later. In fact you can just listen to them an note the different
time of arrival. This last method work with just one mic. at each recorder.
The main problem is that you cant neglect the higth if you must record an
audible boom.
Then you must know a flightpath and an estimateted time of arrival..
John
With the wellknown backspace-editor.
------------------------------
From: psychospy@aol.com
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 94 22:38:20 EST
Subject: Groom Lake Field Trip, Jan. 15
Bill Sweetman, Jim Goodall, John Andrews and other black aircraft gurus and
adventurers will be hiking Freedom Ridge to view the secret Groom Lake test
facility on Sat. Jan. 15, 1993. Everyone's invited! See for yourself the
base that doesn't exist (legally, from public land) and meet the esteemed a
viation experts who don't know much more about it than the rest of us.
This informal and loosely structured weekend event will begin about 10 am at
Freedom Ridge, about 2-1/2 hours north of Las Vegas (plus a 50 minute hike).
There is no firm schedule, but after viewing the Groom base for a while, the
group is expected to make its way about 130 miles westward to the border of
the Tonopah Test Range to view that facility from public land (Saturday
afternoon or Sunday morning). The gathering will end whenever people choose
to leave.
There is no cost and no reservations are required. Just show up. Although
the Air Force has applied to seize Freedom Ridge, it remains public land at
present, and that means anyone who wants can come to our get-together. You
will not be arrested or harassed if you do not cross the well marked border.
(Security forces will be watching, but they keep their distance for events
like this.)
How to get there: Gas up in Las Vegas. From there, take I-15 north to US-93
north to NV-375 west. At milepost LN 34.6 on NV-375, turn west on the long
dirt road and follow it for 13.6 miles until you see our cars. (Parked
beside a Keep Right sign. Do NOT pass the posted Keep Out signs just
beyond.) If we are not at the cars, follow the trail marked by yellow
ribbons for about 50 minutes (staying outside the orange border posts) and
there you will find us, binoculars pointed west. (The hike is strenuous for
the first 15 min. but easier after that.)
Things to bring: warm clothing for possible winds and 30-50 degree weather,
sturdy hiking shoes, the best binoculars or telescope you have, snacks and
water. 4WD is handy for exploring, but any car can reach the parking place.
(A closer route is possible for 4WD.) The military is sensitive about
photography of their secret base (even though pictures of it have been widely
published) so if you have a camera, read the posted warning signs and keep
your device out of sight.
Accommodations: We suggest visitors spend Friday night in Las Vegas and
Saturday night in Tonopah. Limited lodging may also be available in Rachel
and Alamo. Meals could be irregular (probably in Rachel and Tonopah), so
bring snacks to tide you over.
For more info, contact Glenn Campbell: email psychospy@aol.com or call
702-729-2648.u
------------------------------
End of Skunk Works Digest V4 #110
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